Viral
by Sunburned-Stickperson
Summary: Whoever said it was Desmond that Abstergo kidnapped, and not just someone who looked like him?
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, Desmond, we're going to try and bring you out now."

His lips twitched as he grunted, sitting up. He looked around, calmly, observing his surroundings. It would be easy—so easy—to tear through these walls. He climbed off the table and stood.

"Are you okay?"

He turned to see a blonde-haired woman watching him worriedly. Of course he was okay. He was dead.

"See? I told you he'd be fine." It was an old man.

"Bastards," he growled softly.

"Now, now, I just saved your life."

He walked around the odd table, tapping it with his knuckles. "What is this thing?"

"Animus. It's an Animus."

He stopped at the corner of the Animus, looking at it. The blonde woman was right next to him.

"Why do you need me? Some sort of test subject?"

"You have information we need, Mr. Miles."

There. Again. He wasn't Desmond Miles. That was his bartender back home. "Information?"

"Don't play coy with me. There isn't time. You're an assassin. And whether you realize it or not, you've got something that my employers want. Locked away inside that head of yours."

"I'm not an assassin." He wasn't even human.

"Yes… Your file indicated as much. Something about an 'escape.' Most fortunate for us."

He hummed, tapping his knuckles against the frame. It was clear they wouldn't let him escape without a fight. Whoever Desmond was in his spare time was integral for their operations.

"So, what is it, Mr. Miles? Live, or die? Lie down."

He looked up to see the old man standing by the window. "I'm not Desmond Miles."

"Right, and you also don't have the memories we need. Lie down. I would hate to have to put you in a coma."

The old man sighed, turning to face him as he stood by the machine, giving him a cold stare. He stepped forward, only to have a hand placed on his shoulder. Tensing up and ignoring the urge to kill her—she was a stranger, and he didn't trust anyone, especially those who drugged him—he brushed her hand off and stepped forward.

"Lie down, Mr. Miles."

He didn't say anything, just moved forward until he was standing eye-to-eye with the man.

"Lucy, call—"

He grabbed the man's shoulder and ran the blade through the old man's torso, feeling the virus turn him back into his normal form. Not his usual killing style, but it worked well enough. He looked over his shoulder, staring at the woman—Lucy—under his hoodie.

"Where are we?"

She looked horrified. He let the blade vanish as the sirens went off. They morphed into claws, and he grabbed her.

"Where are we?" he breathed, pulling her close as she struggled. He knew he was intimidating. "And how do we get out of here?"

"P-put me down, and I'll help you!"

His lips twitched, but he did as he was told. She hurried him over to the doors, and entered a code, leading him into the hallways. He walked slower, letting her panic, while he observed where he was. Perhaps he should've just torn down the halls, but if they were dealing with the Infection, he was going to know where and why.

"What did they need Desmond for?"

Lucy stopped and looked behind her. She looked ahead and then looked back. "There isn't tim—"

"Answer my questions, and I'll let you live. The world makes time for me."

Lucy stopped, and he smirked, watching her tremble as his claws appeared again. "D-Desmond held the locations of the Pieces of Eden that they needed."

"Pieces of Eden?"

"Th-this is a Templar company."

Alex drew himself up, enraged. He remembered the Templar insignia on some of the papers from the memories of the men he consumed. So, this company was dealing with the Blacklight virus.

"Templar?" he murmured.

Lucy shivered. "Uh, yes—"

A bullet whizzed by them, and Alex grunted, the biomass shooting out to pick Lucy up and attach her to his back as his arms turned into the hammerfists, smashing them into the ground and watching the shockwave ripples send his enemies flying. In a quick motion, he sent out the whipfist and drug in a soldier, he heard Lucy gasp when he crushed his skull and absorbed him. Summoning his blade, he bolted forward, slicing through the storm of troops and grabbing another, throwing him to ground and smashing his face in before absorbing him. Memories and layouts of the company—Abstergo, his mind supplied—answered his questions. He picked up one of soldiers and whipped in him into the other soldiers before letting him go and watching his body smash into the far wall. He looked around, listening to the quiet briefly before he let Lucy go. She fell on her rump as he picked his way through the carnage to a half living human, and he yanked him up by the collar of his shirt, examining him only momentarily before slicing him in two and absorbing him. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the feel. Turning back to Lucy, he gestured to the elevator.

"Well?"

She was frozen in her spot. "W-what are you?"

Alex reached out, picking her up with an extended arm and dragging her to the elevator. She was shaking. He set her down by the keypad.

"Enter the code."

She punched in the buttons, and it blipped red. "W-what? It's wrong? How!"

Alex frowned, staring at the keypad. She tried again, and again.

"They changed it!"

Without warning, he punched the keypad, destroying it, and forced the door open. "Do they deal with the Blacklight virus here?"

"The what? Blacklight virus?"

Alex frowned as he picked her up and attached her to his back using the virus. She was eerily still, but he wasn't going to complain. He jumped into the elevator shaft, digging the muscled arms into the shaft and climbing down, since he had found out the hard way some humans couldn't handle the landing or the fall.

"D-Desmo—"

"Alex Mercer. Not Desmond Miles."

"Okay, uh, Des—Alex… Why haven't you killed me yet?"

Alex was silent for a minute. "You may be of use to me yet."

"So, you're not going to eat me?"

"I only ate the others because I needed to heal."

"W-what?"

"I was injured by the bullets. When I fight, I don't often feel it, but I do need to regenerate, so I absorb others to heal."

"What are you?"

Alex was silent, climbing down. Eventually, he reached the ground floor and summoned his blade and armor. "I am something less than human, but also something more."

He cut through the elevator door and dashed out, plowing through the enemies as if they were nothing; which, to him, they were. The tanks and the Blackwatch were harder than these idiots were. He tore through them and stopped once the last of them had been absorbed. He let Lucy down, and she looked mortified at the carnage around them.

"What will the others think?" she murmured.

"Do you have someplace we can go?" he asked, walking toward the front door and preparing for an attack.

"Uh…"

"Mr. Mercer."

He paused, looking around the large open foyer. He could hear the voice coming in over the intercom.

"The infamous Mr. Mercer."

He frowned. "Who are you."

"A command? Quite edgy of you, isn't it?"

"Who are you."

"If you insist."

There was silence for a moment.

"Alan Rikkin, CEO of Abstergo."

"A Templar."

"Yes. Imagine how pleased the USA will be to find out that we have their number one terrorist."

"You can't contain me."

"Can't we?"

He harrumphed. "There has never been one who could."

"This is where you are wrong. As we speak, the US troops close in on Dan—"

He roared. "Show your face, coward!"

He snarled at the laughter ringing out through the room. When Lucy placed a hand on his arm, he nearly ripped her head off. She offered a small smile.

"She was in her friend's secret hideout, correct? In Manhattan?"

He curled his lip—how dare they hold her hostage. She pulled him down to whisper in his ear, "We've all ready relocated her. She works for us, now."

He gave her a mistrustful look, but nevertheless, chose to believe her. She could explain herself later.

"Where are you, Rikkin? Show yourself, and let me rend you limb from limb."

That infuriating laugh again—Alex was going to choke him to death, then pull his innards out and listen to him scream. Maybe not in that order.

"And ensure my death? Mr. Mercer, you are stup—"

He ripped the front door from its hinges and started running up the side of the building. He was pissed off now. He would kill that man. He could see a chopper taking off at the top of the building, and he was going to rip it to pieces. He'd take down all of Abstergo if he had to. When he reached the top, he leapt, grabbing bottom and swinging his legs up, digging into the bottom of the chopper and shredding the armor. He crawled in and grabbed the first person, but when it didn't register that he had any memory worthwhile, he threw him away and crawled in absorbing the other solider and lunging at the man beside the pilot, the memories singing to him. His blade changed into claws, and he pulled the man from his seat and absorbed him. He screeched, grabbing his head: Fredrick Mendell.

There was a young man with slicked back black hair and a thin, pinstripe suit. His eyes were a creepy bluish grey, cold and icy. A Russian Blue sat on the corner of his desk, watching them. The walls were adorned with antique weapons, each polished and cared for extensively. In the farthest corners were beautiful cobwebs with large, black spiders crawling on them. There was a desk before him, meticulous and drab, and behind it sat the man. There was a door off to the side, and several men and women dressed in servant's garb standing at the edge of the room. The wallpaper was gold in the dim chandelier light coming from above his desk. The burgundy carpeting looked more like blood from where the man he ate stood. There was a salute.

"Rikkin, sir, we're transporting you to Manhattan. They need you to supervise an experiment."

"Why me, soldier?" His gaze was cold and cruel.

"They've heard of Abstergo's success."

"What is it?"

"Working on a virus named Blacklight. There was an outbreak in two thousand nine, and they want you to help study it."

The memories flashed. A man with short-cropped black hair in a similar suit to Rikkin's listening to the man he ate.

"Charles Hannon will be my stand in."

Another flash.

"Mendell—into the helicopter!" It was that Charles man.

"Where are you going, sir?"

"I'm going underground until they find that Goddamn assassin hideout. I'll be there to fire the last shot into ZEUS's head."

With a snarl, he snapped from the memories and ripped the pilot from his seat, absorbing him. So the man was underground—he'd get him yet. The assassin hideout is where Lucy would take him. He touched the chopper to the ground a few meters away from the compound and beckoned Lucy to come out, the grounds eerily silent. She darted to the helicopter and climbed in as he climbed out.

"Wait here," he growled, "or I will hunt you down and kill you."

He walked to the base as he saw the activity within. A collection of bullets burst from the windows, and he started gathering biomass in his arms. His lip curled, and he grunted as he pounded into the ground, disregarding the chaos around him. Tall, thick, spikes of biomass ripped into the building, and he reveled in the cracks he heard, the groaning of the building. One more should take care of it. It was too tall and heavy to keep up—ill prepared and hardly suited for a military base. They never saw it coming.

He let the biomass accumulate a second time, the bullets dinging and whizzing around him. He pounded the ground again. The graveyard spikes dug into the building, and he heard it crack. It was going to fall. He dashed to the helicopter and took it in the air as the first beam gave way. Lucy screamed as the loud boom took place, and he threw the helicopter into the fastest that it could go, moving into the distance as the entire Abstergo building collapsed. He grunted when debris smacked into the chopper, rocking and lurching it, and he tilted it to the side, trying to get out of the dust cloud. He took it higher—then higher still.

"Where is that assassin hideout?"

"Wha—"

"Where is the assassin hideout!" he roared over the din.

"To the north!"

He used the compass to get it turned north; he heard a crack and a boom, and Lucy screamed—he was holding onto her, covering her with biomass as they fell. He landed with a thud, the building shattering under his impact, and he kept moving north to escape the rubble and the dust, eventually slipping into an alleyway and letting Lucy out as he panted. He rested an arm on the dumpster, and his head on his arm. When he inhaled and got a snoot full of dust, he shucked the jacket-layer of biomass and straightened, wrapping it around Lucy, who had an arm over her nose and mouth. He covered her head with it and pushed her head into his neck as they hid behind the dumpster. For once, he thanked the fact he wasn't human. He could feel the dust with every inhale.

He closed his eyes and slid down the wall, holding Lucy in place. He pulled the jacket to cover both their heads and looked down to find the woman's brown eyes studying him as she rested her head on his shoulder, no longer paying attention to the dust with the protection of the jacket. He watched her chest rise up and down a few times to reassure himself she was still alive, then closed his eyes.

"Still doing okay?" he mumbled. "You're still breathing."

"I guess."

It was quiet and frightened, and Alex supposed that he couldn't blame her, not really.

"What happened back at Abstergo?"

Alex exhaled. He could still feel the dust whipping around him and decided he'd better pass the time. He told her everything he could remember, from absorbing the men to recover his memory of being a scientist at Gentek to the final fights with the Infected. By the time he was done, he could feel the thick layer of dust coating them. Lucy was quiet. He waited patiently, moving his legs up and down to free them.

"You're…"

"A killer, a terrorist, and a monster—I am something less than human—"

"No, you're not," she murmured as he jerked his arms free of the dust. "You're a protector."

He scoffed as he pulled them from the dust. "No."

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have continually gone back for Dana, or bothered to keep me alive. You wouldn't have disappeared when Dana flinched at you trying to touch her. You would've killed me for my knowledge instead of keeping me alive."

He was quiet as he helped her onto his back, letting the jacket slump to the ground and reabsorb through his foot, only to reappear. As he leapt onto the building and started running, he shook his head. After everything he had been through, he couldn't find it in him to believe her. He knew what he was, and it was nothing good.

"No, I'm not."

"Watch. I'm sure you'll save us next time, too."

Alex was quiet. His movements were hindered by the incredible amount of dust, but he was still moving quickly. He felt Lucy look behind them.

"We need to get rid of these tracks."

"No, we don't."

She opened her mouth to protest.

"Where the hideout is, Charles Hannon is. And where Charles is, I will be," he growled.

Lucy was quiet almost the entire time, speaking only to give him directions as they leapt from roof to roof, eventually landing on a warehouse in the middle of nowhere.

"This it?"

She nodded, and he leapt from the roof, landing with a thud and letting her down. She opened the door and led him in, and Alex let him slip back into Desmond's skin.

"Tell me about what's going on here," he demanded, and she jumped when she heard Desmond, but quickly went to fill him in.

Once they reached the top, she turned and looked at him. "So, will you help us?"

Alex took in her figure. She didn't look much like a fighter, but then again, he had been surprised by plenty of the people he'd met. He folded his arms. "If I do, we do it on my terms."

She winced. "And what would those be?"

"Pack everything up and get ready to run. Charles Hannon isn't going to wait."

She sighed. "Will you at least give us the memories?"

He frowned. "There's no time to waste."

She scowled. "Look, all we're asking for is the memories. Will you give us those?"

He put on his emotionless face. "Yes. Let's go. I don't need any of you injured."

She sighed again and led him into the room. A woman with black hair noticed her and stood.

"Lucy! Ya made it!" He watched the women embrace, the happy expressions on their faces, and he briefly wondered if he had ever been like that. "It's been so long! Seven years, can you believe it?"

"Indeed," came a British voice, and Alex felt his (Desmond's) hackles rise. "Welcome back." There was no hug, not even a handshake as he watched the man give him a thorough onceover. "Ah, so this must be the infamous Subject 17. Desmond Miles, was it?"

He met his stare with an icy look. "Who are you?"

"I'm sorry: where are my manners? I'm Shaun Hastings. And this is Rebecca Crane."

"Nice to meet you, Desmond," she said, and he shook hands with her tentatively. He was still paranoid.

"Right, well, it's been lovely chatting, but if you don't mind, Desmond, it's best we get straight to work. Time is precious, doubly so these days."

Alex gave him a cool glance as he went to turn around, and Lucy grabbed his shoulder.

"We're, uh, changing plans."

"What?" Rebecca said. "I just got Baby hooked up!"

Lucy bit her lip as she turned to look at Shaun when he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a worried look. "We're getting ready to move. I'm a week early, and we're leaving soon. Pack up and get ready to high-tail it."

"Are you okay, Lucy?" Shaun asked. "It's not like you—"

"This isn't Desmond. Desmond is dead, gone, finished."

"What?" Rebecca said, and she knocked on Alex's chest. "He looks and sounds like Desmond."

Alex sloughed of Desmond's appearance, causing the other two to step back as Alex stared at the British man, making his threat clear, like an alpha staking his position. Shaun scowled and drew himself up slightly.

"What the Hell is he? Some sort of alien from _Doctor Who_?"

"He's something called the Blacklight virus, and he… well…"

"I killed Desmond and absorbed him. His DNA is now mine."

Shaun raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Well, Mister Purplelight, into the Animus with you—"

"We're packing and getting ready—"

"I don't think so—"

He effectively ended all further protests by grabbing Shaun with his claws and hoisting him in the air, drawing him close so he could breathe on his face and growl, "You are packing."

Shaun was squirming, a terrified look on his face, and it took everything he had in him to set the man down instead of throwing him out the window. Rebecca had backed away, and Shaun scrambled quickly to his station. Their eyes were trained on him warily. Lucy shifted in her spot.

"So, uh, let's pack up, okay? He said he'd give us the memories—"

"As long as I don't have to touch that freak and he doesn't touch me, we'll all be good," Shaun said, flattened against his desk.

Alex turned and started walking out.

"Where are you going?" he heard Rebecca call. He turned around to see her staring warily.

"I'm going to kill Charles Hannon."

He walked off, knowing Lucy would fill them in. He leapt out a window and ran to the top of the building. It was midnight before someone came to check on him as he sat there and watched the landscape.

"So, did you know Desmond?" Rebecca said as she sat beside him. She looked almost like Dana.

"Yes. He was a bartender at the bar I frequented before I became infected."

"What happened?"

"I took him to Dana's safe house, and he survived the infection. After they rebuilt Manhattan, I fled to the red zone. I monitored who entered and who exited."

"Really?"

"I was a legend among the people. Those who were carted in often expressed interest in getting a glimpse of who I was. They rarely did, guarded heavily by the military, who knew my clothes better than their own."

"And Desmond?"

Alex shook his head, feeling unwanted emotions from Desmond's memories bubbling. "He became infected, somehow, and when I saw his escort, I swooped in and snatched him. They had run out of Bloodtox, the cure, and they couldn't risk keeping him or the others in the yellow district. I have vision that allows me to see how infected people are, and his body was roughly fifteen percent infected. When I asked him how it happened after I took him to my house, he couldn't remember."

"After that?"

Alex leaned forward, feeling the strong emotions rising. "He was going to die. He had so many regrets."

He tensed when she wrapped an arm around him. "So what did you do?"

"I soothed several of them."

"How?"

He glanced at her under his hood. "Do you really have to know?"

He saw Rebecca's eyes light up with mischievous glee. She looked so similar to Dana. "Dirty secrets?"

He didn't respond, and she scooted closer, nudging his side. She bounced back much more quickly than Dana—but then again, he didn't stay after he tried to touch her.

"Now I have to know. Come on. Spill it."

He couldn't fight the smile that was tugging at his lips as she nudged him again. When he didn't respond, she tackled him, and he caught her as she tried to get him into a headlock. He pried her off, turning to look at her as he held her at arms' length.

"Fine. I'll tell you."

She squirmed in his arms, grinning as he set her down. He jumped when she plopped her head into his lap and looked up at him expectantly. "Well?"

He stared at her.

"If you think I'm gonna let your creepy tentacle-claw thing frighten me off, you're wrong bub." She winked. "I happen to enjoy a good tentacle rape."

His eyes must have gotten wider, because she started laughing. He still wasn't used to dealing with people—he had left Dana in the green zone so he could go make the rest of Manhattan safe for her. When he did see her, it was brief, but she was just like this Rebecca Crane. He was learning, slowly. Being a virus dominated by the memories of a sociopath with homicidal tendencies made getting along with others a little more difficult. He scowled at her then leaned back on his hands to stare at the stars. Of all the people he absorbed, there were so many different beliefs, and he found himself wondering if Desmond was one of those stars, twinkling down so merrily and watching his every move.

"So, what'd you do? Give me fodder for a story."

He looked down at her again, then looked back to the stars. "I snuck him into the green zone and took him in his bed that night."

"How?"

"How?"

"Yeah, how?"

He quirked an eyebrow, and she smiled innocently. He rolled his eyes. "Hard. Rough. He moaned like a whore."

"Really?" He gave her a cool stare, and she hummed. "I would've loved to see that. Bet it was hot, wasn't it?"

"We slept in late, and he enjoyed the feeling of another with him. I made him a late breakfast, and we went to Central Park, then I—"

"Wait! What'd you do at Central Park?"

He blinked at her, then looked away. "We sat by the water and watched clouds."

"Were you cuddling? Holding hands?"

"Yes."

"To which?"

"To both."

"Really?"

"He was my only friend before I died. It was the least I could do for him as he died."

"Aw… that's cute."

He looked down at her, and she smiled softly.

"Did you kiss?"

He hesitated. "Yes."

"Oh, it was one of those adorable kisses, wasn't it?"

"I wouldn't call it that."

"Stupid manly men. I bet it was. What about the gay bashers?"

He cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow.

"What? You didn't! You killed them, didn't you!"

He wiggled his nose as he gazed at the stars.

"What about after that?"

"I took him out to eat at a high-end restaurant. We ate on the deck so he could watch the sunset."

"Classically romantic. And after that?"

"I took him to a good hotel."

She grinned almost evilly. He'd have to watch out for her and Dana together.

"I bathed him and gave him a massage."

"Naw, that's adorable! And lemme guess, you made love to him after that?"

She squealed when he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

"You are such a cute romantic!"

"It was what he wanted."

She squealed again, and he frowned.

"By the time he fell asleep, he was fifty percent infected. I guess whatever fluid I released in mimicry of ejaculation helped combat the infection slightly since I have a different strain, but any more and he would've been in pain. An hour or so after he fell asleep, I snapped his neck and absorbed him."

They were silent for a minute before Alex shook his head. "And when I combed his memories, there was only one that could've targeted who infected him. The person injected him in the back and fled before he could find out. That was almost two years ago that he died."

"Lucy said you didn't know who he was."

"I had forgotten. I tried not to dwell on it. He was another casualty of war."

"He didn't mean something more to you?"

"Of course he did—to the other me, the human me. He and I would sit and talk after work, and we'd share stories and talk about our paranoia. Sure, I got strong emotions when I saw him, but those are only memories of emotions."

"You make it sound as if you can't feel anything."

"I can't. I'm a virus."

"So, if I kissed you, I'd become infected?"

"I don't know."

"If I fucked you, I'd become infected?"

"I don't know, but I think that you would."

"If I was infected, I could do that awesome blade thing?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I can infect people, and that I am a virus."

"Hm… Would you infect me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

He cast a glance at Rebecca, who was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. "Will you ever stop asking questions?"

"Nope. Why won't you infect me?"

"It's not as glorious as you'd think."

"Are you kidding?" she shouted. "That would be fucking awesome, man! Luce told me all about what you did to Abstergo and the building—and the chopper? Man alive!"

He sighed, gazing out over the warehouses. He felt like he was still in Manhattan. No wonder his bartender had been paranoid. He had the Templars after him. Although, it still wasn't quite as bad as him.

"Why isn't it as cool as—"

"I'm America's number one most wanted terrorist and murderer. If I bleed, there's no telling who I could infect. I have the containment group Blackwatch, the US military, and shortly hereafter, the world's military after me."

"What makes you say that?"

"Charles Hannon will have alerted the others to my status here."

Rebecca nodded thoughtfully. "So then, you're a one-man war."

"Precisely."

"Why not collect more soldiers then?"

"I tried with a man in Manhattan. He tried to murder me."

"What happened?"

"I grabbed him in time to make him take the shot of Bloodtox. It killed him."

"Bloodtox?"

"The cure. I'm partially immune to it."

"Really?"

"Yes. I had a doctor keep up to date with the cures, and he made me shots to immunize me."

"What was his name?"

"Why?"

"So we can recruit him, and he can keep helping you."

Alex gave her a hard onceover.

"Look, you can trust us. I know it's kinda wonky we want memories of the man you ate, but…"

"Leave him be. He didn't want to be a part of it anyway."

She nodded. "Cool. I heard Lucy's getting Dana transferred."

He let the corner of his lip curl upward. "It'll be nice to see her again."

Rebecca squealed, and he jumped.

"You are such a cute person!"

He frowned.

"You are! Oh my God, I wish I had an older brother like you!"

He looked away. "I left her with my parents to attend a university. She has every right to hate me. I murder innocents to replenish my own strength. I'm inhuman."

"Naw, man, she sounds cool. I'm sure you're just overreacting. She was happy all the other times you dropped in, right?"

He shrugged. "I suppose so."

"I think that you're awesome, Alex. You know: I'm gonna be able to sleep safe tonight knowing you're here."

He looked at the roof of the warehouse. "I won't let them harm you."

"I trust you—even if you don't trust yourself."

He lay back and gazed at the stars, wishing her away. She crawled over him and smiled.

"You need to have more faith in yourself, Alex. I think you're a better person than you think. The thing is, you're just upset because you had to kill lots of people in Manhattan to protect Manhattan. Besides, I bet the military killed more people than you."

He smirked as she settled on top of him. "There was one time when a tank destroyed its own base."

"Seriously?"

He chuckled softly. "Yes."

Rebecca was silent as they lay together. She did look a lot like Dana. After a few minutes, he could feel the questions bubbling again.

"So, why did you want to forget Desmond?"

"He was my only friend. The memories are painful."

She hummed, resting her head against his chest and yawning. "So when will Charles get here?"

"No idea."

It wasn't too much longer before he was carrying her back inside the warehouse, fast asleep in his arms. He set her on a sleeping bag, the beds packed and ready to go. He looked to find Lucy typing away at a computer, and Shaun looking over her shoulder, biting his finger. They looked to acknowledge him, and he frowned.


	2. Chapter 2

"Why are those not packed?"

"It's the last computer, and I have to check in with the heads of the Order to let them know that… uh…"

"Instead of a human being, we picked up a freak," Shaun finished, and Alex chose to ignore the jibe, sitting at a window and watching the night pass.

He woke to the sound of gunfire, and he was on his feet in an instant, armor out as the others woke. He heard the sound of the door breaking down, and he was running out of the room, and pressed against the wall to peer out into the room, changing into the last soldier he had eaten. With little difficulty, he snuck into the crowds, blending in as he searched for Charles in the chaos. The soldiers were marching up toward the room they had slept in, and he hoped they were out.

"Where's Lieutenant Hannon?" he barked.

One of the soldiers gestured, and he moved forward still, pushing through the masses, and once he saw the man, he could feel the virus stir, ready to make a kill. He was heavily guarded, and had even more armor on, but that wouldn't be a problem. He dashed forward, pushing passed the bodyguards and grabbing Hannon, pausing only briefly to smash his head into the concrete and absorb him. With a screech, all time seemed to stop for a moment.

There was Rikkin again.

"Sir, Desmond has been successfully infected."

"Good, good. We'll see how the legendary assassin does now."

"Legendary assassin, sir?"

"Warren Vidic stumbled upon a memory with Subject Sixteen. Desmond is going to 'save the world,' but if we eliminate him first…"

"Sir."

Scene switch to hands shuffling through papers.

"You are to take my place while I help in America."

"Yes, sir."

"Aren't you curious?"

"It's not my place to ask, sir."

Again, to a phone. An address book.

"Alan Rikkin?"

Irritation. "Yes?"

"It seems we have a problem, sir."

Curiosity. "Yes?"

"It seems ZEUS still lives."

Shock—outrage.

"What?"

"Yes, sir. We captured 'Desmond,' as you requested, and now Abstergo is falling to the ground."

"Eliminate that monster!"

"Yes, sir."

"And Charles," said the warning voice, a flash to an office room and several Templar papers, "you'd better be alive when I get back there."

"If I'm not, sir?"

"That's an order, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

Without thinking, Alex pounded his fists into the ground and summoned the graveyard spikes with a grunt. He listened to the sick, slick sounds of men being impaled. Still, they were unprepared for a monster. He grabbed the nearest man and consumed him once they disappeared, and he summoned the whipfist, slinging it in a circle to clear out the next wave of men. He looked around—that was it. There were no more. Changing into Charles, he stepped out of the warehouse to find gun pointed at him. He started adjusting the sleeves on the suit.

"Stand down, soldier," he barked, feeling his personality bleeding through, "it's Alex Mercer."

He finished adjusting the cuffs on his sleeves, and he looked coolly at Lucy.

"Bind me and throw me in the back. Let them think you have Charles. Hurry. Here comes a chopper."

She blinked, but he went with the motions as she tied him up and threw him in the back, hopping in the front and flooring the pedal. He turned back into himself once he heard the first dinging noise.

"Fucking awesome, man," he heard Rebecca say as he pulled apart the metal to get into the shotgun seat.

"I'm going to take out that chopper," he said as he kicked open the door and attached himself to the truck.

As he crawled on the roof, he could hear the radio. "Alpha to Subterra, Alpha to Subterra."

He squatted as the bullets dinged off the truck.

"They have Charles Hannon. I repeat: they have Charles Hannon."

He sprung, latching onto the side of the helicopter and prying the door open before killing the men inside and tilting it away from the flight path.

"Alpha, this is Subterra, come in. Alpha, this is—"

"Tell Alan Rikkin that I'm coming for him," he growled into the microphone. "And tell him I'll systematically kill everyone until I find who killed Desmond."

He leapt from the helicopter and ran after the truck as the chopper crashed into the ground. With a leap, he landed on the truck as it slowed slightly, and he crawled back into shotgun, closing the door.

"That was fucking awesome!" Rebeca shouted, peeking out through the hole in the metal.

Alex looked at her as he buckled the seatbelt. She was grinning like a fool.

"Ever the child, hm, Rebecca?"

He smirked at her as she protested Shaun's statement. He leaned back in the chair, watching the world go by.

"Where are we going?"

"To our last hide out in Italy."

"Italy? Why not Manhattan?"

"What?"

"Manhattan is where Alan Rikkin is. I've issued my threat. He knows I'm coming for him."

"What?" Lucy shrieked.

He straightened, then hunched over, clasping his hands as he narrowed his eyes at Lucy. She was sitting rigid in her seat, her hands clamped onto the wheel.

"I will avenge Desmond. He was my only friend when I was alive."

"I doubt that," Rebecca said.

"I don't," Shaun quipped. "He's a sociopath. By nature, sociopaths are cold, paranoid people. The fact he got on so well with Desmond is incredible. In fact, how did you get to know him?"

"How did you know I did?" He sent a swift glance at Rebecca, raising an eyebrow at her innocent smile. He rolled his eyes and continued. "I went to his bar." He winced, flashbacks to their first meeting from Desmond's point of view flashing through his head. "And he—"

He gripped his head. The bar—the worn down stools, the dinky bar setting—he saw himself walk in and sit down.

"Hey. Whatcha want?"

He frowned. "Something strong. And remember what you make. I'm going to become a regular."

Desmond laughed and grabbed his chin, looking at him hard. "What's your name?"

"Jarod Flake."

"Your real one."

He looked so surprised.

"I know a paranoid man when I see one. What's your real name?"

He was hesitant. "Alex Mercer."

"What time is it?"

"Six forty seven pm."

He turned his head back and forth a few times. "Consider yourself documented. I'll have you something by this time every night."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yup. And don't even try to hide the fact you're paranoid. As a fellow hunted, I know how you feel."

He raised an eyebrow as a drink was produced in front of him.

Switch to the bar. He's sitting there as Desmond hands him his drink.

"They're killing us off, Desmond."

"What?"

"The scientists. They're killing us off."

"That's—"

"As to be expected. I'm running, so I probably won't see you again—"

"Bull." He saw him scribbled his number on his arm. "Call me once you're outta here. Tell me where you are."

"I don't want to risk your life—"

"I don't care if you do or not. We can make it on our own."

"Desmon—"

"Alex."

He saw his lips curl upward into a smile.

Switch to the military escort. He jumped when he saw himself land on the tank and rip him from the seat.

"A-Alex?"

"Shut up, Desmond. I'm getting you out of here."

He grunted as he flashed back to reality, holding his head and doubled over. It hurt: fucking damn it—this was why he blocked those memories. It fucking hurt. He could still see the contented smile on Desmond's face right before he killed him. He could still feel the blood coursing through his body. He could still feel his warmth and his breathing and his skin and—

"Alex?"

He grunted, curling up tighter.

"Alex, what's wrong?"

"Alex?"

"Leave me the fuck alone," he grunted, holding his head: he didn't want these memories resurfacing.

He sat there, remembering all the times he had shared with Desmond (like the one where they both got wasted and woke up in his apartment) from both his point of view and Desmond's. It hurt worse than anything he had experienced before.

"What do you think's wrong with him?"

"I don't know."

He tensed, willing the memories back into the vault he had closed them in. He didn't want to miss his friend. He needed to move on. He had others to protect. He worked to push them away the entire time they were in the car until they parked. His mind was rapidly playing through that final night with Desmond through Desmond's point of view, and he gritted his teeth: it would do him no good to look back on it. He had been so happy, so satisfied, and now he was dead thanks to some man overseas. He had locked so many of the other people's memories away—he wished he could keep Desmond's at bay.

"Alex?" It was Lucy.

He grunted.

"Alex, we're here."

He jerked up and looked around. Lucy looked surprised when he looked at her.

"What?"

"You… you're crying."

He pulled back and wiped furiously at his eyes.

"No, it's just the memories of tears," he murmured as he slid out of the truck. "I can't cry."

He felt her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay to cry."

"I can't. I'm a virus. There is no capa—"

"Blah, blah, blah," he jumped when he heard Rebecca's voice, and he looked to see her wink at him. "Betcha were missing Desmond, hm? All those memories are making you human, whether you like it or not."

He frowned at her before wiping his eyes once more for good measure. "What are we doing now?"

"We have to find a way into the safe house."

"So we can set up Baby and get you cranking out memories. And in thinking of which, this place isn't secure. Cell phone surveillance can see right through the walls."

"Don't you mean satellite surveillance?" Alex asked, thoroughly remembering satellites making his life Hell on earth.

"Are you kidding? Abstergo upgraded to cell towers ages ago. The waves go through everything above ground. They're gonna find us."

"No, they aren't. Come with me."

He watched as Lucy started walking off, and he followed slowly, looking at the area around him. They walked up a grand set of stairs, passed a ring of brown grass, and started walking along a cobblestone path. He gazed at the surroundings closely.

"Where is this?" he said, his voice cutting through the night.

"Monteriggioni," Shaun said. "Desmond's ancestors lived for a brief time in the Italian Renaissance."

She led them into a dark room, and for the briefest moment, he was reminded of the darkened alleys in Manhattan. He watched as Shaun started examining a desk, and Lucy was peering at a wall with vines and rubble in front of it.

"There's a beam blocking it from the inside. We're not getting in this way."

He quirked an eyebrow. How easily they forgot.

"What's our next move?" Rebecca asked as she spun to face Lucy.

"The road just loops back into the highway. This is not a good place for us to be right now."

"Do we have any tarps? We need to cover up the van."

"I really hate to stress this, yeah, but we are running out of time."

Shaun stepped forward as Lucy scowled at him. "Well help us then, Shaun. Do you have any ideas?"

Shaun gestured to Alex, and Alex smirked. "Why not use meathead here to muscle his way through the door. It's not going to be of any use to us if Abstergo finds us, so we may as well get it out of the way permanently."

Alex nodded when Shaun looked at him, and he walked over. Shaun moved from the door as he transformed his arms into the hammerfists. Moving them behind his head, he gathered power.

"Step back," he warned.

He smashed his fists into the blocked door, watching as it crumbled in an explosion of stone.

"Incredible," Lucy said.

"Not really," Shaun murmured. "The stone is ancient. The wood that was probably blocking it decayed. Nevertheless, congratulations, dunderhead."

Rebecca stepped inside first, jogging down a couple of paces. Shaun was staring at some symbol on the wall.

"What's that?"

"I don't know," Alex said, looking down the passage.

He felt an odd sort of feeling as he gazed at the dark passage. A need—some sort of desire—the virus seemed to take to this place. He could feel the humidity in the air, the stagnancy almost sweet to his nose. Untouched—protected—alone—he could feel a pull inside him.

"Whoa! They really build this place to last! No signs of structural damage. No cell signal either. It should be safe to set up. Let's get the Animus down there."

He followed obediently, keeping an eye on the roads, on the skies, his thermal vision active and ready to jump at the first sign of an enemy. They were quick and efficient, and Alex appreciated that. Once they were done, he sat on the red chair and folded his hands together. He could still feel that tugging in the back of his mind, and he thought briefly about Gentek once Greene had taken it over.

"Okay, so, where do we start?" Rebecca asked.

"Okay. Everything's good here. Shaun, go hide the van in town. And make sure you aren't followed."

Shaun grabbed the keys when Rebecca rose. "Wait a second, guys. We need power down here. There's a line I can hook into, but the wattage is weak."

She picked up a red box and pressed it into Alex's hands.

"Oh yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah. Anything else you two would like? You know, some caviar perhaps. Maybe you'd like me to knit you a lovely hat. No. Fine. Follow me."

Alex was silent as they paced up into the town. He stopped when Shaun did and turned to him. He could feel the odd feeling draining away the father he walked from the building. That was good.

"Right, look around Monteriggioni for circuit boxes. Rebecca's little doodads, they'll reroute small amounts of electricity to the power line under the Villa. Don't ask me how they work; if I understood that, I wouldn't be the fellow hiding the van."

He gazed at him briefly before fixing the circuit and walking off to find the next four. He found if he walked to the farthest corner of Monteriggioni, the feeling was almost gone. Lighting up his thermal gaze, he followed the heat from the electricity lines from one place to another, finding the boxes easily before heading back. As he paced into the room, Lucy turned around and sighed.

"Just in time. The sun's rising."

"Yes! It's booted. We're good to go," Rebecca exclaimed, rising and walking toward him.

Shaun paced in. "Did you miss me? No? Anyone? Hello, am I speaking out loud? Hello? Workaholics."

Alex smirked as he watched Shaun roll his eyes and walk over to his station.

"Let's get started," Lucy said, typing away at a computer.

He stood there, for once, uncertain of his next move, until Rebecca laughed. "Come here and lie down. We'll get you all plugged in. Lucy said that Subject Sixteen—"

He furrowed his brow as he lay back, letting Rebecca fiddle with everything as he changed into Desmond. "Charles' memories contained something with Subject Sixteen. Who is he?"

The other three looked at each other, then, Lucy spoke. "We'll tell you later—"

"You'll tell me now. His memories also had Alan Rikkin saying something about Desmond saving the world."

Lucy look confused. "What? Subject Sixteen was the one right before Desmond, but we plugged him in the Animus, and he—"

"Went bonkers, scribbled all over the walls in his blood, and died. End of story," Shaun said.

"From something called the Bleeding Effect—"

"But I doubt we'll have much trouble with that with you," Rebecca said, "since you're a hive of memories all ready."

Hive—he lurched at the word: a hive is what the virus wanted. It was moist; it was warm; it was protected; it was perfect. The vibrations from the machines seemed to buzz deep in his bones; the amount of heat pushed from the machines, perfect. He dug his fingers into the arms of the chair. Nesting—the virus wanted a hive. As he compartmentalized the need, he realized, when he took the others out of the equation, he didn't want one as bad.

"To protect them," he murmured, his brow furrowing.

"What?" Rebecca said. "What's up?"

He shook his head rapidly. "It's nothing. How does this work?"

"You'll live out Desmond's ancestor's life, syncing with him until we find the Apple of Eden. Once we do, you won't need to get in here anymore."

"How much of his life will I go through?"

"We dunno. We've got a relative location of the memory, but not much. Subject Sixteen was the one who insisted on it."

He nodded. "Let's get to work."

To say working through the memories was hard was an understatement. It took forever for him to realize that he had no superpowers, that he had no upgrades—that, for once, he was fully human again. Once he got the hang of it (an hour or so after plugging in) there was no stopping him. He could hear Shaun's and Rebecca's voices over the memories, and he was having the time of his life—the others, however, were more than a little concerned that he almost enjoyed passing out from injuries and eating medicine, feeling the pain radiate up his legs when he jumped from too high and running out of breath as he chased a guard. He had forgotten what it felt like. It was impossible to enjoy humanity until it was taken away. He could feel every emotion—pure and sweet—at every memory. Throwing knives, hand-to-hand combat, talking, living, feeling—being human—was something he'd never thought he'd be able to touch again.

"Alex, we've got something for you," he heard Shaun say as he breezed through one of those hacks from Subject Sixteen.

He couldn't believe that Sixteen thought that he was smart. These were nothing compared to the puzzles he had solved in Gentek. It was probably the easiest thing he had done in a long time. He felt alive in the Animus. He waited, watching the clip briefly and finding himself back atop the tower.

"There's a person here for you."

"Look, man, we're pulling you out," Rebecca said.

He felt the world start to collapse around him after it finished saving the data, and he twitched as he pulled out. He didn't want to leave, the feeling of humanity now lodged deep within his veins. He inhaled deeply. He had been human—however briefly. He sat up as the visor was retracted. He felt slightly woozy, considerably weaker. He felt something drawing power from him.

"What's wrong?" He saw his sister and inhaled sharply. "Dana?"

"Hey, Alex. You're looking good."

He rose, and approached her warily, hoping she wouldn't flinch away as he staggered on his feet to reach her. She tilted her head with a nervous smile, and when he got close enough, she hesitantly hugged him. He stiffened at touch, then relaxed slightly and stiffly hugged her back. He could hear Rebecca chuckle and felt Dana relax, and he hugged her tighter, careful of his strength, cupping the back of her head and pressing his nose to her hair, inhaling deeply. Memories of hugs—he was glad he had so many.

"Dana."

"Hey, Alex. Looks like I'm here to stay with you."

"Please," he murmured, "don't be afraid. I won't harm you."

"I know: I know," Dana said, and he rose. "I'm just… a little freaked out. But, I do have some good news for you."

"And what is that?"

"That Doctor Ragland man?"

"Yes?"

"He used your blood to make us some antibody shots for your infection. After they found out you were here, they didn't want us to go in unprotected. With good reason."

"What do you mean?"

She pulled back and smiled. "We were immunized from you and your virus. Dr. Ragland tested it."

"Bloodtox?"

"He upgraded it."

He held onto her arms as she looked at him, and he felt memories of sadness and utter happiness bubble up, a million different memories of the same feelings clogging his mind. She leaned in and hugged him again, a little more confidently.

"Now you can't leave me again," she murmured. "You're stuck."

"I left because you were so terrified."

"You are terrifying," Shaun growled. "Now, explain why you're turning this Sanctuary to a hive."

"What?"

He saw Rebecca point at the wall, and he followed her finger, only to freeze. There, on the wall, was a hunter's spore. It was huge, massive, oozing with yellow DNA. It must have been there a while, because it fleshy and filled out, and he could see the life inside, worming and kicking. That must have been drawing power from him. Alex stood there, paralyzed. He couldn't believe that had happened while he was in the Animus—this put everything at jeopardy. He should be happy—his sister was here; he felt human, and things were going good, but now that.

He wasn't going to risk the only people he had left, and he most certainly wasn't going to force them into a life like his. He summoned his claws, steeling his gaze, and walked over to the spore, raising his hand to strike it down.

"This is bad news."

"Wait!"

He looked over his shoulder, resting his hand on the spore. "What?"

Rebecca squirmed under his gaze. "We… you should keep it. I mean: we're immune—"

"I'm not taking the chance. This needs to be destroyed."

Shaun stepped up. "You can control it, correct? Just like that Greene girl."

He gave him a level gaze. "I'm not risking your lives."

"I'm just saying," Shaun began, adjusting his glasses, "that you've been out for over two weeks, much to Lucy's chagrin. If what you say is true, then Rikkin has all ready assembled an army and is coming toward us as we speak. This army will have the world military, the Blackwatch, and quite a few others to take us down. As inhuman as you are, Alex, there's only so much you can do."

He frowned.

"And if we're immune from your strain, and all these… monsters come from you, we can deal with our fears long enough to let you turn this place into a hive, providing you still crank out the memories. Then, once we get the Apple, we'll have both that and your army of zombies."

"No. It'll spread too—"

Lucy offered a weak smile. "I know you're concerned about the world, but if we get defeated, then the world will be gone anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"She means," Rebecca began, walking over to her desk, and he almost winced when he saw two chairs, "is that if you don't destroy the world? The Templars will. Using the Apple. So, you either make yourself an army, since we're immune, and get ready to fight, or you let them beat us to the Apple. With the Apple, you could make replicas of yourself, and kill all the Infected yourself."

He blinked, once, looking around at them.

"Besides, how bad could it be?"

"I'm not giving in to my instincts. A hive would put all of this village at danger."

"But you're not Miss Greene, Alex, so, surely you can keep them from harming the villagers."

"It's a virus."

"And we're getting the vaccine in. Don't worry about it, Alex."

He gazed at his sister, the semi-frightened look making him wonder why she was going with it.

"'Sides," Rebecca said, leaning back in her chair, "if what Dana showed me is true, I can claim one of those tee-shirts that boast I survived the zombie apocalypse."

She laughed, and Dana laughed with her. Alex looked at the ground, weighing his options.

"Look, Alex," Shaun said, walking over and placing his hands on his shoulders, "as much as I'd enjoy letting you think on this, the army is on the move, and it's quickly assembling in Europe. You need to start now, if those spores are going to take a while."

"They won't," Alex said, looking him in the eyes, "not if I'm not in the Animus. They can produce hunters every few hours, and walkers even quicker."

"What about those Leader Hunters?" he heard Lucy ask. "The thing Dana said kidnapped her?"

Alex stepped back a pace. "I can do so much more than that."

He frowned. They were seriously telling him to start the Infection in open ground. He had been fighting his desires for power for years now, and they were telling him to give in.

"Do it," Dana said, offering a small smile. "We'll still be here, and I know that you'll protect us."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"I failed you in Manhattan."

"That doesn't count: you couldn't control them."

"Yeah, listen to your sister," Rebecca said. "We have faith."

He was silent for a moment, looking at the spore on the wall and feeling it drain power from him.

"How long was I out again?"

"Two weeks," Rebecca said. "Lucy insisted on pulling you out earlier, but you seemed to be having fun, and you certainly aren't suffering any side effects."

He spread his claws out over the spore, wondering if he could do it. He could feel Greene's DNA replicating and channeling into the spore, which was preferable, since each Blacklight virus infectee was a sentient being.

"Will I still go in the Animus?"

"For a while, yes," Shaun replied. "We need that Apple."

He exhaled slowly, the thrum of power and the need to infect coursing through his veins. He had wanted to spread it to New York, and he had had the chance before Heller tried to murder him. He licked his lips once, exhaling slowly again. Then, visions of the eighteenth day of the Infection came back to him, and he could feel that same smile come back, his lips expanding.

"No, they're all dead. All dead."

His grin grew as he stepped back from spore.

"Except me."

On a silent command, the spore exploded, and he could hear the others' panic as he inhaled, the smell of rotting flesh the sweetest thing he had ever smelled. The hunter roared, and the two walkers screeched, and he was trembling with manic glee. The power was draining from him as tendrils of the virus climbed over the walls of the Sanctuary and carpeted the floor with the spongy, fleshy mass. The walkers screeched again before he commanded them to patrol the borders. No one got in—no one got out. His arms curled inward as the virus continued to grow, and his fingers dug into his palm as the hunter started pacing.

"Alex?"

He started laughing.

"Alex!"

He turned around, his eyes wide with excitement as he tried to keep the smile under control. He was trembling, his upper limbs paralyzed by his sides. He licked his lips as they stepped back. They looked horrified. He couldn't control it now that the virus was taking over. It was power it wanted, and it was power it would get. He glanced at the ceiling to find the last of the vines of Infection close over the marble.

"Cor, it reeks."

He could feel some of his power return as the hive took on its own mind, still drawing some power. He could feel the spores growing—he could feel the life teeming inside. He had better put in a catalyst for walkers. With a jerk, the hunter was off to bring him humans from a different town to serve as bodies for the virus. He licked his teeth.

"A-Alex?"

"Water towers," he croaked, giving her an absolutely desperate look.

"What?"

"Where are the water towers."

"Alex!" Dana shouted, walking over to him. He could feel the fear coming off her in waves, and he was almost excited, but it was his sister. "P-please! This is enough for now!"

"Incubate the hunters," he hissed, his fingers jerking and his wrists twisting on their own accord. "Water towers."

"A-Alex," Dana whimpered, looking around the Sanctuary as she gently touched his chest. "A-Alex, p-pleas-se stop?"

That was all it took. With a grunt, he grabbed his head, the desire to protect his sister stronger than the will of the virus, and he fell to his knees before his eyes rolled back. He was down for the count. He woke in the Animus, as Ezio, and kept going. By the time he found the Apple, he could feel the virus teeming around him, and Greene's memories buzzing to create more of the Redlight virus that he could control. There was an Apple and a Staff lodged underground in the Vault. He would get that.

Ezio flinched at the light, and so did he.

"Greetings, prophet. It is good: you have come. Let us see it to give thanks."

This chick looked like those people in the B-rated horror and sci-fi films Dana enjoyed watching. He waited as Ezio handed over the Apple.

"We must speak."

He only lent half an ear to them as they spoke, and he could feel something growing on either side of him, absorbing his strength, waiting to hatch. Something about a solar flare, got it. When she mentioned the other temples, he realized such things could be easily found with the hunters—thousands of the Infected that he had bore. He could feel Greene's DNA working within him. After a bit more, it eventually fizzed to the white screen, and he was pulling out, jerking awake in a spore of his own, the warmth of it surrounding him, molding and singing to him. With a snarl, he commanded it to burst, and the two bodies that had been on either side of him were roaring, and Dana screamed.

They were leader hunters, and when one went to swipe at Lucy, he roared in return, picking the hunter up and hurling it across the room, roaring again as he summoned his armor to make himself bigger. The other leader hunter roared, puffing up, and he pumped more of the biomass into the armor, making himself bigger as he roared in return. The leader hunter stepped back a pace, and he roared again, stepping forward as the second leader hunter appeared by the first's side. He snarled, issuing his threat as they backed down. The biomass retreated from his body.

"Well then, Rebecca, you can cross 'watch a barbaric stand-off between monsters in real life' from your bucket list," Shaun quipped, and he turned to snarl at him, but Rebecca beat him to it.

"I'm not the only one. Dana wanted to see it, too. So, we go to the Coliseum?"

"We can get there before dawn."

"But it needed a password—"

"Again," Shaun said with extra sarcastic emphasis, "Conan here can rip through it. I doubt, if humans could destroy Those Who Came Before's technology, that he'll have a problem. Why does everyone seem to think we don't have a mutant freak living with us?" Alex exhaled, gazing at Shaun, who met his gaze levelly. "And don't you go complaining, because you know it's true."

"I hadn't denied it yet."

"What about the hive?" Dana asked, looking more than a little frightened by the leader hunters.

He paced over, and she pulled him into a tight hug. He returned it, combing his fingers through her hair.

"It can continue on its own. I can control it from afar, much like Greene did."

"Are they coming with us?" she whispered, and he could feel her shrink down in his arms.

"Yes," he murmured. "We'll need the security."

"Both?" she sounded downright horrified.

"No, just one and his pack." She was trembling. "They won't touch you. If they do, they will die. Simple as that, all right, Dana?"

"Fuck." She buried her face in his chest, and his "heart" lurched.

"I promise," he murmured into her hair. "They won't touch you. They aren't allowed."

"Now, wait a second," Shaun said, and Alex finally realized he was sitting in a chair made entirely out of the hive's flesh. "I know what happened and all, but I don't see why she's still afraid."

He quirked an eyebrow, and Lucy scowled. "Shaun!"

"No, listen," he said, making gestures, and Alex watched a walker come clambering over to hand him a Diet Coke. "This is her time to get revenge. They listen to us. They follow our orders. She could make it do ridiculous things to make it not so freaky."

"Or, maybe she's just using it as an excuse to cuddle with her brother," Rebecca said, kicking back in a different chair. "I know I would."

He looked around the hive. "Where are the Infected?"

"In the sewer spores," Lucy said, gesturing to one of the statues. "They haven't hatched. It's still the two walkers and hunter from before. You've kept a tight rein on them."

He nodded, still holding his sister as he summoned the hunters and walkers that were growing. "Leave everything here. Let's go. The second hunter pack will protect this place. The smaller one will come with us to the vault, and I will turn it into another hive."

He left no more room to argument as he herded them into the truck after Shaun pulled it around. He shut Dana in the back and roared, summoning his armor and blade, surprised to find a second emerge from the armor, and he reveled in the chorus of roars behind him as they followed the truck through the moonlight. He felt whole once more as they approached the piece of history. He left no room for protest once they arrived, hoisting Dana on his back and attaching her using the biomass as he jumped, searching for the entrance. He tuned out the others' chatter as he searched, trying to find it.

"Maybe there's something we're missing," Dana whispered. "Something Desmond's ancestor had?"

"That Eagle Vision," Alex murmured back, stopping and pulling up the memories. He closed his eyes and concentrated. "Eagle Vision."

When he opened his eyes next, a smirk crawled over his eyes, the world now in black and blue.

"Uh, Alex?"

He turned to Shaun on the back of the Leader Hunter. It was waiting. They were all blue.

"Hold on."

He ran ahead, and eventually found a deep hole in the ground, and a pile of hay at the bottom. He was tempted to perform a Leap of Faith, but with Dana on his back, he decided against it, leaping and sliding down the wall of stone to land almost gently on the ground below. Two small buttons were glowing gold, and he pressed them before pushing on the wall with the carving of Madonna and Jesus. He watched the hologram with little interest, knowing Dana was paying attention. He went through two more holograms, beginning to get irritated. Some time after all the jumping, climbing, and running, he finished with the last of the doors and smashed it. It left a large gap, and he stepped in to see a larger hole—going up. He charged his jump and flew through the air, running up the wall. He could hear Dana laughing as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and Rebecca's cheers as they emerged inside a church. He noticed yet another climbing activity, and decided to fuck all of that as Shaun droned on and on about the church and someone named Juno or whatever.

Transforming his arm into a tentacle, he walked over to the lever and activated it, activating them all in turn before a small pillar appeared—on the other side of the room. He was going to kill whoever designed this fucking thing.

"Getting tired, Alex?" Dana teased gently, and he was relieved to hear her still remotely happy.

"A little. Fucking paranoid. It would be easier just to smash it all."


	3. Chapter 3

He smiled slightly when she placed her chin on his shoulder, and he bumped heads with her. He jumped onto the platform and placed Desmond's hand on the pillar. The floor jerked, and before he knew it, they were being lowered into another room with lots of stairs. He jumped the room to find a door with the same symbol at the hive.

"Now we need the password," Rebecca said, and Alex tensed.

"You're fucking kidding me," he growled.

"Nope," Shaun said, "as a matter of fact, we have absolutely no idea what it could be."

Alex was about ready to boil over as he stared at the wall, Shaun's taunts only serving to make him angrier as his arms turned into the hammerfists.

"We were going to search Ezio's memories, but you happened to shove us all out without much room for protest, so now here we are, without the faintest clue, and we'll have to go back and search—"

He roared, smashing his fists into the door, the hunters following suit. He pounded it again, and again, until it was bent out of shape and full of dents. He summoned the blade and pounded until the door gave way and his blade sunk through the door.

"When did you get that—"

"When I was hatching the hunters," he growled, transforming them into the claws and grunting as he pulled the door apart.

He stepped through.

"See?" Shaun said. "I told you he'd have no problem with it."

"Yes, Shaun, we know," Lucy said, sounding slightly irritated.

He ran down the hallway to a large room with several pillars. He could see Ezio placing the Apple on the pedestal in the middle. That same damn woman started talking as he walked to the small platform to connect the entrance to the large island in the middle. With a just a thought, the hunters leapt, and Shaun yelped, and they were waiting on the middle island. He jumped, catching the ledge and pulling himself up, letting Dana down as he approached the Apple. He turned into Desmond, just in case, as he placed a hand on either side. He heard the hunters roar. The other humans were milling about, talking, something, and he felt himself grinning, that same evil grin from before. Without a second thought, he grabbed it and inhaled sharply at the influx of power. He could feel it trying to take over Desmond's mind, and he laughed evilly as he the virus surrounded it. He could feel the power flow through him as he turned into himself again.

"You're not Desmond!" he heard the "goddess" scream, and he laughed again, tensing up with the intensity of the Apple.

He felt the biomass spew from his body in tentacles, smashing into the walls, and Dana cursed loudly. Greene was stirring within him again, producing that vile Redlight strain. The Blacklight virus was screaming in protest. The hunters pounded the ground, and he could hear his other hive call out as the virus covered the walls, turning it into a sticky web of biomass. The Apple was feeding him power, and he was eating every morsel offered. He swallowed as the golden light vanished in a cocoon of biomass.

"Power," he hissed, his hands glued to the Apple.

He felt Dana tug on in his sleeve, and he turned to her—she cursed, stumbling back, and he laughed again, feeling the biomass pour out of him. This was incredible. With a roar, he sent the hunters off to get him the second Apple and Staff, and with little wait, they returned with the Staff and the Apple in hand. He could feel the explosion of Infected from the other hive as he sent them to fetch the Shroud and Sword. He commanded them to scourge the land until it produced the other forty-seven pieces. They would be his, and he would do whatever it took to make this world safe for his sister. He watched with manic glee as the virus crawled up the walls and spores formed. Yellow DNA quickly started spewing forth, and he could feel bile rise in his throat. He vomited, spewing the vile Redlight virus from his body, and it quickly solidified, and he watched as a copy of the supreme hunter rose from the grave. It bowed before him, and he never felt more powerful.

Until a small voice broke through his empowered trance:

"Hush now, my baby, be still, love, don't cry…"

He turned to see Dana hunched over, holding her head, trying to block out the images as the others huddled near.

"Sleep like you're rocked by the stream…"

The song was paralyzing him as he listened, and he felt a flash of humanity again.

"Sleep and remember my lullaby. And I'll be with you, when you dream…"

He took a step toward her. He heard the Supreme Hunter roar, and he commanded it to quiet as the others looked at him, frightened. He knelt in front of his sister, reaching out slowly. When he touched her shoulder, the Pieces of Eden tangled in the web of the virus, he flinched when she whimpered and recoiled.

"Drift through a river that flows through my arms…"

She sounded like she was crying.

"Drift as I'm singing to you. I see you smiling, so peaceful and calm, and holding you I'm smiling too…"

"Dana," he murmured.

She whimpered and continued singing.

"Dana…"

He could feel the thrum of the virus in him as he tried to get her to look at him.

"Please, Dana…"

He pulled her into a gentle hug, and he realized how badly she was trembling.

"I won't hurt you. I won't: I promise. They won't hurt you, or Lucy, or Rebecca, or Shaun. Trust me. Please."

He held her close, hoping she would snap from it and return the hug. Eventually, she muttered, "G-Goddamnit, Alex. You know I'm afraid of those things."

"I know," he muttered. "I know. But I need them to keep working for me."

"Fucking why?" she hissed, refusing to look up.

He sent the Supreme Hunter to go destroy the Templars at the border and find the army. With a roar, it left, and he held her as she slowly calmed down.

"So," Shaun began nervously, "what's our next move?"

"We avenge Desmond and kill Alan Rikkin."

"Riiiiiiight, and how do you propose we do that?"

"I absorb Rikkin and his memories, then we track down the man who infected Desmond. While we do that, the hunters will start a series of hives throughout Europe and slowly expand throughout the Asian continent. They'll move to Africa, then to Australia, until we have all fifty pieces. They'll grow and evolve—I'll grow and evolve. I'll evolve into something that can swim and move back onto the Americas." He snarled. "I won't let it stop me from crossing the ocean, no matter if the water is Blacklight-phobic. The Redlight can swim, I think. This world will be overrun by Infected. And then, and as they hunt the Pieces of Eden down, they'll murder any Templar that doesn't have memories I need."

"How do they know?" Lucy asked, looking around the room curiously.

She certainly seemed interested enough. Rebecca looked a little freaked out, but seemed more concerned with Dana's discomfort.

"The memories mark them."

"Alex," Dana murmured, "Now that you have the Apple, perhaps you could bring Desmond back?"

He hummed, confused, as she curled in his arms.

"If you entered a spore with the Apple, do you think you could separate your DNA from Desmond's, and bring him back as another… Blacklight virus? I know it would've been impossible before, but…"

He hugged her tightly. "I could try."

"I know you loved him," she muttered, and Rebecca grinned.

"I told you so," she said, pointing at Shaun. "I tooooooold you."

"But, it would have to be a Blacklight Virus. I know the hunters are the Redlight virus, but you'd have to make him the Blacklight."

"Woah, woah… If Alex is a different strain of the virus, how is he creating—"

"He absorbed Greene. He makes the hunters look like the common cold."

"The Redlight virus is easier to produce for me. And if I produced the Blacklight virus, I would have no control. Each Blacklight infectee is a different organism."

"So you should bring back Desmond," Rebecca said.

"No. I'm not sure he'd want to come back."

"Oh, come on—"

"No," Alex said firmly. "No. I won't subject him to it. The memory of emotion is—"

"Bullshit," Rebecca said, giving him a disapproving look. "Come on, bring him back. Do something for yourself. He kept those happy memories alive, didn't he?"

"I won't subject—"

"Do it," Dana said. "I'm sure that he'll forgive you."

He looked from Dana to Rebecca, and from Rebecca to Lucy. They were all watching him closely.

"Besides," he looked back at Rebecca, "I wanna watch two hot guys make out."

"I'm not sure I'd enjoy it as much since he's my brother, but it would be fun."

She winked at Dana, and he could only assume Dana winked back. Alex let her go, since she seemed calm enough, and he rose to look at Lucy.

"You have teams in America, right?"

"Yes? Why?"

He bit his lip. "If I pull Desmond out, I need you to send a team to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California."

"Why?"

"I need them to rescue to a subject by the name of Pariah."

She nodded. "I can do that. I'll send them word about the two Apples and the Staff. And the Hives."

He nodded, and he looked at his hands. He didn't really want to—he wasn't sure Desmond would even appreciate it. He turned into Desmond, thinking back to all their memories. Sure, he "loved" him. He missed him, and yes, things would get lonely once Dana died, but he wasn't sure he could subject Desmond to the same things he was going through.

"Come on, Alex," Rebecca said. "Grow a pair for him."

He frowned, and Dana grinned. Shaun folded his arms. "You may as well, and with all your monkey minions running around, the Templars will be distracted enough from us. You may as well."

He frowned. "I don't think he'd want this."

"Doooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiiit," Rebecca said. "You've been looking after us for a while now. Why not look after yourself? I mean, Desmond'll have you, so there's no point in not letting yourself have someone you can be friends with for all eternity." He kept frowning when she murmured, "Since you, you know, won't infect me."

"It might be good for you," Lucy began. "You'd have someone you can relate to, and someone who loves you—"

"He'll just end up trying to murder me like Heller."

"Move on, man. You're too far in the past," Rebecca said. "Come on. I wanna meet Desmond. And have him make me a few drinks."

"Actually," Shaun said, looking at her, "that's not a bad idea. With the Templars distracted by the hairless gorillas, we could take a bit of a break and get completely smashed."

"Shaun," Lucy said disapprovingly.

He shrugged. "I'm all for it."

Alex rubbed his face with a hand. He wanted Desmond back, sure, but he wasn't sure he could do that to him.

"Look, lover boy, I can't believe I'm going to say this, but take Rebecca's suggestion. Grow a pair for him."

Alex growled. "Can I think about—"

"Nope," Rebecca said. "You've done enough thinking all ready. So sit down, be absorbed by a spore, and make Desmond for yourself. Or for me, 'cause I wouldn't mind tapping that."

"Rebecca—"

"Damnit, Alex, I'm gonna make that boy come out of you—even if I have to fucking pull him out of you my-Goddamn-self!" Dana shouted.

Alex narrowed his eyes. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Enough!" Lucy shouted. "No, Desmond—I mean, Alex—I think you should bring Desmond back, but we're going to let you decide whether you want to. Just, consider it, all right?"

Alex nodded and sat down. There wasn't anything to do now.

"Where are we sleeping tonight?" Rebecca asked.

"Well," Shaun said, sitting on a pile of the virus' flesh. "I'm perfectly content right here, if you could just make a creeper or two to wait on us."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Creeper?"

"Those skinny… runny things."

"A walker?"

"Ah, yes. A walker. You see: it's warm in these hives here—much more than a sleeping bag. And if we could just get a blanket in here to cover ourselves, I would think this would be ideal."

Alex blinked, then rolled his eyes and started walking out.

"Where are you going?" Lucy said.

"We need to go back, so you can get your computer and contact the others. I want Pariah."

"And I want Desmond," Rebecca said, placing her hands on her hips. "But you don't see that happening."

Alex rolled his eyes, and Lucy smiled. "I brought a laptop. We're only allowed to use it in emergency purposes, or during travel, but I brought a laptop. Why don't we settle down for the night here?"

He spent the remaining hours sending a walker running willy-nilly for the assassins to bring them food. By the time they had settled down, Alex found himself holding Dana as she slept, trying to keep her calm. Shaun slept on his other side, and Lucy beside him, and Rebecca next to Dana. As he slowly drifted off, feeling rather drained as his hunters built hives and drew their power from him—from Greene, since the Redlight virus was the one he could control—he dreamt of Desmond for the first time in a long time.

He replayed all of his memories through Desmond's eyes, starting from a child to right until he fell asleep in Alex's arms. The memories held a lot of emotion—fear, anger, joy. He felt them slipping through his fingers, and he didn't want to let them go, but he was shedding them like a winter coat in the summer. He was locking them away, somewhere deep in his mind, so he couldn't be in pain when he felt the joy Desmond felt at their talks in the bar, or his utter contentedness as he fell asleep on his last day. It hurt something awful, and he thought it better to keep them out of sight and out of mind.

He was warm as he slept. Shaun had been right: sleeping in a hive was wonderful. The flesh he was on was soft, and the life that pulsed in it kept him warm. He enjoyed the hive mentality—when he was the one in charge. He could feel the life teeming in his veins as he slept, and it grew more powerful with every hive that started. He could feel the energy as the others hunted for the other Pieces of Eden, and he could feel the web that connected all the hives empower him more. He could see the destruction that followed in their wake, and he twitched when the hunters and walkers invaded the Vatican and stole the sacred shroud of Jesus. He watched them bust through the border of Italy and take all of Europe by surprise. He could feel the number of hives spreading like a match thrown in a gasoline tank.

He was reluctant to wake, stirring groggily as cooler air swept over his body. He grunted as he uncurled, and he brought his hands up to his eyes. He had slept so well—not that he needed it, but it was still good. He could feel a new layer of power thrumming gently within him, deep in his flesh, and he stretched out. His joints screamed in relief, and it felt as if he had been sleeping for weeks—but, he did have hives breaching China now. He could feel the transfer of memories from the hunters to his skin, and he saw the terror of the Templar troops, the mad scramble of armies to try to destroy them—the hives producing too many too fast for them to assemble completely. All of these continents would be his.

He felt something stretch along beside him, and he cracked open an eye to see a head full of brown hair. He inhaled deeply, the scent a long forgotten one, and wrapped his arms around the body. It shifted, bending one arm to be its pillow.

"You're finally awake."

His eyes shot open at the familiar voice.

"What the hell is going on? I mean… I thought I was… I was…"

"Desmond?" he murmured.

The body in his arms curled up more. "Yeah. I'm…"

"I'm so sorry," Alex said. "I never meant to bring you back."

"W-what the hell is going on, man? I mean—I thought you took care of the virus!"

"I—" he paused, then wrapped his arms tighter around him. "I did. And then I brought you back using the Blacklight virus and your memories. I'm sorry."

"So I'm a bunch of memories now?" the voice was quiet and slightly nervous.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he held the man. "I'm sorry, Desmond. I can undo it. I can."

He felt the man shift to look at him, and he cringed at sight of golden eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, Desmond."

"So, all I am is a bunch of memories?"

"Yes. Just like me."

"What the hell is going on?"

He gave him an upset look, then bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Desmond."

He felt a hand on his jaw, gently coaxing him to look up, and when he did, he felt the hand slide to the back of his neck and pull him in for a kiss.

"It's okay, Alex. I'm just… a little freaked out."

Their lips pressed together gently, and Alex could feel Desmond's hands curl at the base of his neck. His lips were warm and dry, and it reminded Alex exactly of the kiss in Central Park. It got progressively heavier, until they were biting and clawing, and he felt Desmond's feet plant themselves in his stomach and throw him backwards. Alex caught himself with a glare, wiping the dripping matter from his lips as Desmond spat black biomatter on the ground, wiping his mouth.

"Fucker!" he shouted, and Alex jumped at him, blade summoned.

He roared when his blade hit Desmond's claws. They were nothing like his: Desmond's had broadened into paddles, long claws sticking out of "fingers." He roared when his distraction let him get a sharp hit in, and he growled as he clutched his side. He blinked: Desmond's eyes were clouded over—as if he were blind—and he was still moving toward him with incredible accuracy. He jumped as Desmond's claws bit the hive wall, and his lover roared. He roared back, delivering a quick series of parries and attacks.

He got one blow into his stomach, and Desmond spit up a small, black orb. Alex rolled out of its path and when he looked next, the man was nowhere to be seen—until he felt a hand wrap around his neck, and a blade bury itself in his back. He ripped Desmond's hand from his neck, and threw the man, wincing as the blade left a large gash up his back and shoulder. Alex ran at him, summoning the whip fist and lashing out, snagging his leg as he jumped. He whipped him in a circle, smashing him into the side of the Apple's platform. Desmond roared, and Alex curled as something exploded underneath of him. He didn't have time to think as he bounced back from the explosion and glided to him.

Desmond met him halfway, vanishing briefly for a moment before Alex grunted as he felt his weight on his back, that same damn blade cutting into his flesh. He roared, falling to the ground, and he was pinned. Desmond had the most vicious snarl on his lips.

"Why? I was happy being dead!"

"I said I was sorry," Alex growled. "I can reverse it right now, if you like."

Desmond growled, then, pressed his face into Alex's neck. "I'm terrified. What's happening to me?"

He wrapped his hands around Desmond's waist. "Desmond, I told you—"

"I just… Fuck."

He used one hand to cup the back of his head, feeling his regeneration kick in. "Imagine how I felt when I first woke."

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Desmond."

"I know."

"I'm sorry. I should've asked you before you died."

"You were probably lonely. I don't mind. I'm just… afraid."

He felt Desmond's hands curl into his shirt.

"Can someone please tell me what just happened?"

He tilted his head back to see Shaun standing in the doorway with a hunter and the other three humans.

"We leave spore boy alone for not point two seconds, and we come back after eating to find you bleeding out all over the hive floor with another man?"

He rubbed Desmond's back. "Why don't I fill you in another room? I'll show you what's going on."

"I don't… Alex."

He chuckled softly.

"Holy shit! Desmond? Alex, you actually brought him back?"

Desmond's head shot up. "Dana?"

"You're Desmond? Fuck! I've fallen in love."

Alex rolled over and looked at them. He felt hands settle on his shoulders. He stood up, dumping Desmond before he turned and offered him a hand. He helped the man up. Dana was by their sides in a heartbeat, hugging her friend tightly.

"You're back!"

Desmond chuckled, and he found a small smile on his lips. "We're both glad you're back."

He watched them hug, then turned to look at the web of the hive. There were so many small bulges in the webbing.

"Yes, we have some twenty-something Pieces now," Shaun said, stepping over to him. "Your hairless gorillas are quite good at searching for things."

Alex smirked. "Yes. They're extremely good at searching. It wasn't until after Manhattan was cleared of the Infection Dana woke up from the Leader Hunter tracking her down."

Shaun quirked an eyebrow. "Do they know where Rikkin is yet?"

"Not yet. But they're holding off the armies and spreading hives well. This takeover might not be as hard as we thought."

"What about that shit that almost killed you? Detoxin or something?"

"Bloodtox? They've been taking the planes and ships out of the sky. There's no way it'll survive. They'll have to take out me first, then Desmond. And if we reach Pariah, then there's a third."

"They're working on Pariah now," Lucy said, watching Rebecca glomp Desmond with Dana.

He looked at her. "Thank you. It'll be good to have someone to infect the Americas. And find the other Pieces."

"You're serious about the world take over, aren't you?"

He could feel the grin creeping up again. "Of course. As long as you guys are safe."

"You're freaking me out, mate."

"I'm not surprised," Lucy said, and Alex jumped slightly, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, it seems as if it's just like any other human. War, conquest—human nature, animalistic nature—it wants to spread. The difference is, this virus can. And can't be stopped."

Alex smirked. "And I won't let it be. You've seen how heartless I am. I don't care who it is who dies, so long as it's not someone I care about. Speaking of which, how long was I…?"

"Two bloody months," Shaun said. "And then we go out for a moment—the Templars distracted by the millions of hives around now, and come back to find you and your lover rolling around like animals."

Alex nodded slowly. "They're getting close to the army with Rikkin in it. And the Pieces of Eden. If I can contact Pariah, we'll have all fifty in no time."

"Two of them were destroyed," Lucy said. "In a—"

"I don't care," Alex said, walking forward and slowly prying Desmond out from the two women. "Let's go for a walk."

Desmond smiled softly at him, and together, they walked out of the underground labyrinth, up into the church, slipping in and sitting in the pews as tourists walked through.

"So, what's going on?"

Alex told him everything that had happened since his death: the prophecy, the Apple, Abstergo, and getting ready to absorb Rikkin. Desmond sat and listened, and Alex found himself with an arm around the man's shoulders as he leaned into the touch and took in all the action. They eventually got up and walked out into the streets, into the grasslands beyond, and Alex was pleased to see the tendrils of the virus creeping over the town. The citizens had seemed to accept this new thing living with them, but they were wary, cautious, and when a hunter roared, they all moved out of the way. He taught him how to absorb others, and they replenished their health with little struggle. As they walked out into the field, he discussed with Desmond all the different moves and fighting techniques, assured that he could use them since he had given him several memories of fighting to accompany his own.

He had one arm around Desmond's waist and was standing in the field with him, listening to the birds, before everything went to Hell.

"Mister Mercer," came a soothing, masculine voice. "Mister Miles."

He whipped around to see two men standing there.

"Now I'm gonna kill you, Mercer, for making me into a monster!"

His eyes widened just a fraction as he took in the sight of James Heller.

"I'm afraid we'll have to play this more carefully, Heller. There are two of them."

He looked at the other man.

"Rikkin," he hissed.

He watched an arrogant smirk cross the man's face before disappearing.

"You're dead," Heller growled.

Alex straightened. "I thought you were dead."

"Like your precious Doctor Ragland, we, too, can design a cure for the old Bloodtox."

"And I wasn't gonna say 'no' to a rematch," he barked.

Alex sent out a silent call for the Supreme Hunter, feeling it nearby. He wasn't going to let Desmond fight him alone.

"This is that Heller guy you were talking about?" Desmond said.

"Yes," Alex murmured. "Desmond, you fight him. You need the experience."

"I don't—"

"It's the exact same as fighting me."

There was something wrong with Rikkin, and Alex wasn't going to subject Desmond to it. He had just gotten back, after all. Still, whenever he flicked on his infected vision, he couldn't see anything wrong. The virus was just screaming that something was wrong. He was too confident—too self-assured in his every word and movement. He seemed like the kind who always had a plan, and he was certain there was some plan to own them all ticking in that head of his. He heard Heller yelp as Desmond got him good with that vanishing trick and blade in the back trick. Heller was smart, but not too smart. There was no way he could adapt quickly enough.

"Well," Rikkin said, "this is not what I anticipated."

"You're a paranoid bastard," Alex said. "You were expecting this."

Rikkin raised an eyebrow, that damn smirk coming back. "Ah, yes, I forgot. You are quite paranoid yourself, right?"

"What are you planning?"

He was circling Rikkin, examining him. Perhaps, he thought briefly, he had gotten a shot of Bloodtox, but it wouldn't save him from his strain—the strain that had grown and evolved from his days back on Manhattan. It had mutated and grown stronger in those weeks in the spore. He was stronger—his hives were stronger. A shot of Bloodtox might make him sick, but surely it wouldn't kill him. It couldn't. It would be like fighting a new strain of the flu with old vaccines.

"Are you going to eat me?"

He had too much faith in his shot. There was no way he could kill Alex.

"I've got the memories you want, right?"

He heard Desmond yelp as the Supreme Hunter came barreling into the equation, throwing Heller into the ground as the man cursed fluently.

"I've got you figured out," Alex said, straightening and stopping to look the man in the face. "And a shot of Bloodtox won't help you."

Rikkin's eyes were suddenly quite humored, wrinkling at the ends. An "I've-One-Upped-You" smile appeared.

"And you can't get my strain to create a cure from the hives. They use the Redlight virus."

He frowned. Clearly, this man had made breakthroughs with the virus. He stiffened.

"You used Pariah."

"Now you're thinking."

"But he was rescued."

"And the Americas are Infected."

He could feel himself using the virus to make himself bigger. Desmond swore off to the side.

"And I'm not."

"Shit," he murmured.

"I believe that is a good expression for you right now."

He met his gaze again and sized up exactly how to go about consuming him. He couldn't even touch the man's blood, so harming him was out of the question. He started circling Rikkin again.

"What are you going to do, hm? I wish I could say the army was on its way, but you've successfully tied it all up. Your little cockroaches have pulled themselves together after a nuclear blast, and now China faces invasion. You've been busy."

"Did you force Doctor Ragland to—"

"You're precious Doctor Ragland dropped from the face of the planet a few weeks ago."

He'd have to remember to thank Rebecca.

"Well, are you going to eat me? Or will you let Desmond, since he doesn't know?"

He was going to punch that damn man's lights out as he drew his lips into a thin line at the mocking tone.

"Or perhaps one of your hunters. But then you still wouldn't have everything I know, would you?"

Alex stood there, thinking about his next move. His bloodstream had lethal amounts of Bloodtox, but he needed to consume him for his memories. And then it hit him: there were plenty of ways to access the brain without entering the blood stream. And blood to the brain was minimal compared to the rest of the body. There was no blood surrounding the organ—but cerebral spinal fluid. He could access the brain through the nose and mouth, through the ears, but he'd have to be careful. With a smirk, he raised a hand, watching as Rikkin raised an eyebrow, and, without a second warning, let his arm erupt into tendrils of biomass, engulfing Rikkin's head, and his smirk darkened as he listened to Rikkin's cries of pain—as he pulled the brain out the nose to consume.

He could feel the tentacles move progressively toward the brain, and watched the man's body thrash in his hold. He watched the hands scrabble down over his suit and into the vest underneath. He frowned: he didn't know what he was doing. When he saw the flash of wiring underneath the vest, he snarled.

"A bomb!"

He threw the biomass in a flimsy wall and grunted as he felt the spatter of blood against the biomatter, and he could feel the burn of the Bloodtox against his skin. He looked to where Desmond was, and the boy was staring, wide-eyed at him. Heller was gone, and he didn't know if he was eaten by Miles or the hunter. With a grunt, he let the biomatter crumble, and he shed the outer layer like a snake, letting the ground absorb it. He looked at Desmond briefly, whose eyes were wide. He watched his shell bubble and fizz as the new serum worked through it, and he felt Desmond move to stand beside him.

"What was that?"

"That was Bloodtox. The new version." They stood there a bit before Alex turned to look at him. "Good job with Heller."

Desmond smiled. "It was more of the hunter that made him easy to beat."

He wrapped an arm around the younger virus's shoulders. "Let's go back. It looks like we'll never know who infected you in the first place."

Desmond gave him a smirk, and pulled him in for a kiss. "I'm not terribly concerned."

Alex let himself smile as he pressed his lips against Desmond's.

"Yo! Alex!"

He looked up to see Rebecca come running out.

"We got Pariah on the line! Looks like you've got your contact!"

He smirked as he wrapped his arm around Desmond's waist, and they started walking back to the old Sanctuary. He followed her back down to see Lucy with a laptop, and on the screen was a pallid, sickly looking young man.

"Pariah?"

The boy's glassy, blue eyes looked at him. "Mercer?"

And the longer he talked to the boy, he found Pariah to be an easy man to talk to, and he seemed more than willing to spread the infection to all of the Americas. Alex was certain they would succeed where Greene had failed. Long live the new world.


End file.
